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Overall, I'd say I value quality character interactions, writing/dialogue, execution of themes, and directing over other aspects of an anime. If an anime has at least two of those, I'm likely to enjoy it more than an anime that lacks those but happens to have fluid animation, an original premise, and a suspenseful plot (even though I love all those things too).

Additionally, MAL is for my personal ratings, not a list I curate as some kind of professional critic.
I primarily rate based on entertainment and enjoyment. To give a non-anime example, I would rate the Percy Jackson series far above Paradise Lost. While Paradise Lost is one of the most influential and well-written literary works I've read, I simply didn't enjoy the poem as much as I enjoyed reading Percy Jackson which is much less symbolic and "deep" of a work. That isn't to say I don't understand or appreciate the more complex aspect of any work, anime included. However, unless that complexity directly affects my enjoyment of the work, then it won't be reflected in my scoring.

Yup, 2nd all time favorite right behind Mushishi, it’s some real good shit.

Ah, I loved that episode, proved to me just how amazing of a show it would be when I first started it. Keep me tagged in on your thoughts on the series as you watch more of it, it’s always interesting to hear a first-timer’s opinion of it.